Mustangs build towards first-ever varsity game

Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Cy Ranch High football team had just completed its first-ever day of spring drills.

And Mustangs coach Gene Johnson reminded his players that every snap, every tackle, every pass attempt and reception is another chapter in the program’s fledgling history.

“It’s such a unique opportunity for these kids to be able to start the program up from scratch,” Johnson said. “They’ll have a chance to create new traditions at Cypress Ranch. Everything (they’ll) do is what the program stands for and what it’s all about.”

Johnson helped built a consistently successful program at Fort Bend Hightower before resigning to accept the Cy Ranch position before the 2008 season.

The Mustangs will make their first varsity game this fall, against Fort Bend Austin at Ken Pridgeon Stadium.

“They’re always a good running football team,” Johnson said of Fort Bend Austin, the Mustangs’ only non-district opponent.

Cy Ranch will hold its inaugural spring game on May 21, but right now, the team is working on “a lot of fundamentals and getting back in the flow,” Johnson said.

Last season, Cy Ranch finished 6-2 at the Junior Varsity level - with several freshmen playing JV football.

“The speed of the varsity game is going to be something that’s different for them,” John son said. “We can’t wait until the fall (to work on that).”

Sophomore Keith Ford and senior DeAndre Liggins are expected to lead the Mustangs’ rushing attack.

Liggins won the Class 5A-District 15 Championship in the high jump; several baseball players, including junior quarterback Leon Byrd (the projected starter at quarterback), will compete in spring drills last week since the final baseball game was last Friday (a 3-2 loss to D-15 co-champion, Cy Falls).

Johnson expects defense and discipline to be team strengths this fall.

“The majority of our defense will be seniors,” Johnson said. “I’m expecting a lot from our defensive kids. They’re going to have to carry a lot on this defense…We want to build our program around discipline and effort.”